Storm brings snow, slide-offs as well as another trooper vehicle collision

Damage to white Chevy Lumina that hit a UHP vehicle early Sunday morning on the 4500 South on-ramp to I-15.

SALT LAKE CITY — Another Utah Highway Patrol trooper vehicle was hit while it was parked on the side of the road and the trooper was assisting other drivers who had been impacted by the latest snowfall.

Early Sunday, the trooper was parked at the top of the 4500 South on-ramp of I-15 when he was struck from behind by an oncoming passenger vehicle, according to spokesman Joe Dougherty.

He said the officer, who was filing a report at the time, reported having a "stiff leg" but otherwise was unharmed. The crash, however, caused damages to the vehicle, including a bent rear axle and various scratches and dents.

Murray police are investigating the accident.

In the last three months, Dougherty said nine troopers have been hit on the roads, invoking incessant pleas from officials for drivers to be more careful. Seven troopers were hit in December and Sunday's incident was the second time a trooper was hit this month. Twenty-one troopers were hit in 2010.

"This is a good time to remind drivers to slow down in snowy, slushy or icy conditions," Dougherty said. "Or, if you can avoid it, don't travel."

In addition to the fluffy, white stuff, Dougherty said that between 11:30 p.m. on Saturday to 8:30 a.m. Sunday, the recent storm brought with it 18 vehicle slide-offs on Utah's highways, at least 46 reports of property damages, and nine injuries.

A Tooele man went off of state Route 201 Sunday morning, in slushy conditions, and rolled his sport utility vehicle, landing on its wheels in three feet of water in a nearby drainage canal. The crash happened about 7:53 a.m. near 8600 West.

Dougherty said the man, 24, received some scratches to his head during the crash, but did not require transportation to the hospital.

Alta reported it received up to 9 inches of snow during the latest storm, which swept away at least some of the valley's lingering inversion. Low temperatures are expected to remain through most of the week, with a slight chance of additional precipitation, according to the National Weather Service.

Patchy fog is expected through today with a 40 percent chance of snow in the Salt Lake and Tooele valleys. Morning fog will continue through Tuesday, with spotty rain and snow throughout the week.